Far From Home
by caitewarren
Summary: The tale of Balefire;a once happy married man with a young son who has a past with Emma,who after receiving word travels to Storybrooke with his young son.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Far From Home

**11 Years Ago, Phoenix Arizona, **

St. Peter's Library as always smelt of musty old books mingled with the smell of the air freshener that the librarian Ms. Parks always insisted on spraying. It was an odd odor; called Pine Tree. Well, it certainly smelled nothing of Pine trees, Balefire thought to himself.

"Mr. Brenten….," Ms. Parks yelled out in her nasally high-pitched squeaky voice.

From where he knelt he looked in her direction. She was a scrawny little thing that looked much more like a diving board than a person. Her hair was dyed an ugly shade of auburn and it stood in a messy bun with bits and pieces standing at odd ends. She had this little eye glasses that rested on the tip of her nose, and today she was dressed in this plaid green and red outfit that even the non fashion enthusiast like himself could realize.

He pushed himself up from his kneeling position his knee giving a slight crake in protest. On the outside he appeared to be perhaps in his early twenties but on the inside he knew he was much older. He wasn't sure quite _how _old but old enough for a few sore backs and easily broken bones and hips.

"This girl needs help…," Ms. Parks motioned with her twig like arms towards a teenage girl with long curled blonde hair with pretty blue eyes who was standing with her arms folded as if it were the last place in the world she'd wanted to be. To the right of her stood a little black haired girl dressed in a blue dress that was quite a few sizes too big for her and awkwardly hung off the edge of her bony shoulders, "the little one is looking for a few fairy tale books."

_Fairytale_. In the world without magic this was what the tales of his home were reduced too. Though these lacked much truth, they almost ended with these "Happy Ever after" or these helpless little princesses and he didn't want to even get started on his father's story. The inconsistencies were enough to make him want to rip his brown hair out of his head.

"I'd be happy to help." Balefire said politely.

"Can I get Sleepy Beauty?" the little girl begged standing on her tip toes and tugging down on the blonde's leather jacket, "please Emma? Please?"

Emma disinterested rolled her eyes, "get whatever you want kid."

"Oh I want them all!"

"Right this way then." Balefire said leading them down the furthest aisle.

Despite the truth in the stories he was glad to see a child interested in reading. It seemed like such a rarity these days. The little girl began to excitedly pull off the books from the shelves.

"So you were a foster kid?" Emma asked whilst her back was turned to him pretending to feign interest in the books upon the shelves running her fingers over the book covers.

Balefire felt himself swallow uneasily. His hands slowly without his knowledge went to his left cheek were the faded pink scar was barely visible above his collared shirt. The scar had a slightly different feel to it than the rest of his skin.

"How did you know?" he inquired unable to hold his curiosity.

Emma turns to face him, "it takes one to know one." She answered simply, "how long have you been outta the system?"

"I got myself emancipated when I was sixteen years old," Balefire answered, "it was quite a…difficult process for me but it was one I don't regret."

Emma nods tsking slightly, "uhm how long were you in the system?"

"Two and half dreadful odious years," Balefire answered, "how about you?"

"All my life," she answered bluntly before walking out of the aisle and towards were her foster sister was sitting.

**Present Day, New York **

It was yet another night that he'd spent fighting with her, Riley, his soon to be ex-wife. Not soon enough, Balefire thought to himself. The once happy go lucky spirited person he once married nearly twelve years ago had grown bitter, cold, paranoid and unloving to anyone, especially him. It was times like these that he'd wish he'd left with Emma, left Riley and her selfishness. To find a new life, without warning images of her crying face begging, pleading and desperately asking him to leave with her. It was an image that would most likely haunt him for the rest of his life.

It took a great length of time for him to get out of bed the next morning. There was nothing more he'd liked to do other than to burry himself in his bed comforters and for the world to leave him alone, but no. He had a court date.

"Come on Bae….," he said to his reflection as he fixed his suit and his tie, trying to get himself to become much more confident than he felt. His hair was in disarray, deep bags were underneath his eyes, "you gotta do this….for Dean's sake."

Dean was a four-year-old boy conceived in a time when his married life was once happy and complacent. It was the days following his birth that ended every shrewd of happiness, his mother like many mothers fell to depression, though it was never diagnosed as postpartum. It was no safe for him to be with her.

**~Courthouse~**

"Daddy?" a little voice squeaked upon his arrival.

Dean was sitting alone on a bench in front of the courthouse. He looked as if he hadn't been bathed in days, his clothing was torn and ripped. Physically he looked perfectly fine. His brownish blonde hair fell in curls and his green eyes were bright.

"Hey Ace….," Balefire said happily as his son raced up from his bench and jumped into his arms. He held tightly onto the little body as he swung him around in the air before pulling him close to his body, squeezing him to his chest, "I missed you so much buddy."

"Missed you too Daddy." The little voice was muffled as his head was snuggled into the crook of Balefire's neck.

"Put the child down." A throaty voice demanded from behind them.

With Dean still in his arms, Balefire turned to face Riley. Her red hair was growing out from the bad self hair cut she had given herself a few months ago, there were no black running mascara underneath her eyes and she was dressed as if she had attempted to find clothing today. It was a somewhat pleasant surprise.

"Ray….he's my son too." Balefire replied as he reluctantly placed Dean onto his feet, little hands held onto his neck with a steel-iron grip.

"Don't let me go." His little voice whispered.

"Never."

**A/N: I saw a lot of theories on tumblr suggesting that Balefire was the father of Henry and the mystery man were the same person. I thought why not and gave it a go. On the Once Upon A Time wiki it states that Emma was once with a married man and it's implied that the married man is Henry's father so that's where I got the idea of Riley, though their son Dean was an improved into the story as I was going. He was named Dean because I'm in love with supernatural. So thus Dean was born. I don't own OUAT. Please review. **


	2. Chapter 2

The words of Judge Taylor rang in Bae's head in constant repeat; "The court of New York finds it in best interest for Dean John Brenten to be in full custody of his biological father, Keegan Brenten." Complete custody, it was something that he'd never expect to come out of it. His wife had a pretty convincing case, his disappearance. His first trip back to Fairy Tale Land, wasn't one he'd planned on but saying you disappeared into Fairy Tale Land was not a believable excuse as to why you left your three-year-old son alone in an apartment, but the recent DUI's and other minor criminal charges did not ring in favor of Riley's.

"We're going home buddy…together." Bae said feeling as though his smile were about to break his face in half. Tears rimmed at the edge of his eyes blurring his vision a tad. He knelt low enough that his son's face was only a little bit above his own. Reaching up he ruffled his son's hair, "are you happy Dean?"

Dean didn't answer at first; instant worry overcame Bae. Did his boy not want to come home with him?

"Can we get food first daddy?" Dean asked.

Bae laughed. This was the first laugh in a long time that was truly genuine. He laughed until he burst into a coughing fit the sides of his stomach paining him, but Dean was worth every bit of this kind of happy pain.

"Whatever you want champ."

Dean placed his small little hand up to his chin scratching it and suddenly his eyes become much brighter and a big toothy grin came across his features.

"Mickey D's?!" he exclaimed.

Bae nodded and he stood offering his hand to his son. The feeling of his son's little end enclosed in his own was a feeling he wished to never forget.

**St. Peter's Library, 11 Years Ago**

It was one of those odd nights were it rained in Arizona. Bae knew for a fact that Arizona had an annual rainfall of 12.7 inches. Whenever he switched foster homes he always made it a point to read up on the place he was staying in. The non magical world was so vastly different from the magical one he had grown up in. It was fascinating to him and one of the few things that could keep his mind off his Papa and the most horrible people who he now lived with.

"You can close up right Mr. Brenten?" Ms. Parks asked tossing the keys onto the table before Bae could even open his mouth to answer.

She stomped out of the library on a pair of ridiculous high heels. Sighing, he reached for the keys. The library on weekends stayed open until ten-thirty but most people never came to the library this late. He squinted at the clock upon the wall, it read 10:23. What difference would two minutes make? The shrill ringing of his phone cut off the rest of his thoughts.

"Hello?"

"Where the hell are you?" demanded Riley's high shrew voice.

In his mind he could picture her standing there her hands on her hips in her blood red robe tapping her foot. Riley had become a much different person than she had been in the first few months of their marriage. Long gone was the feisty, lively, redheaded girl, was now replaced with a dull, live less person who spent her days watching the clock for him to return.

"I'll be home in ten minutes." He replied.

"Ten minutes." She replied before the ring tone went dead.

He placed the Nokia cell phone onto the wooden table before going around and shutting down the computer, and locking the file cabinet.

"Hello?!" a voice yelled.

Behind the glass doors, stood Emma, the girl from the other day. Her blonde hair was matted down by the rain. The right side of her face was red and puffy. There was dried blood caked onto her shirt.

"Oh jeez," Bae mumbled before racing towards the door and opening it, "Emma….god….come in come in."

Emma staggered into the door, her arms folded, "uhm…thanks."

Bae nodded, "take a seat, I'm gonna get the first aid kit."

Emma shook her head quickly, "that's not why I'm here…," she said slowly, "I want to hear how you emancipated yourself from the foster care system…..,"

**New York, Present Day**

"Sweet dreams Dean…,"

The queen size bed made dwarfed his small son even more. It emphasized his vulnerability, his smallness. It was times like these that he could understand his father's motives for keeping him away from the Ogre War, becoming the "Dark One".

Bae leaned in closer to his son and whispered softly into his hear, "Daddy's gonna protect you…I promise. I will never lave you alone….," he sighed and bit his lip, "never send you into a magical portal to a far away distant land alone."

Dean stirred in his sleep rolling over and snuggled closer into the blankets. Bae made a mental note to get a much smaller bed for his son. Maybe hot wheels, or Teenage Ninja turtles, they were his son's favorite things right now.

The soft chirping of a mocking bird drew his attention. Resting on the open window was indeed a small little mocking bird. Standing he tiptoed across the apartment towards the window. The bird flew away as he got closer, leaving behind a small little piece of paper. On one side was scribbled _Broken_. On the other was a post card from no other than _Storybrooke, Maine_. His stomach twisted into a painful knot as he took the paper and crumbled it into his hands. Celebrating his son's homecoming would have to happen later, Bae thought, they were taking a trip to Maine.

**A/N: I apologize for the possible incorrect wording of Judge Taylor in the deciding factor of Dean's custody, I know very little of law or of the foster care system aside from the basic stuff that everyone knows. I know it's a bit rushed but getting Bae and Dean to Maine will slow the story down quite a bit. Please let me know what you think of Bae….this is kind of my own creative take on him.**


	3. Chapter 3

"Do you remember all the fairy tales I used to tell you?" Bae said quietly as he slightly shifting his hands on the wheel turning onto the I-95.

He shifted his eyes to his son who was fiddling with his seatbelt attempting to get comfortable.

"Keep the seatbelt on Dean….," Bae said. Dean animatedly huffed, pouted and folded his arms across his little chest. Bae fought the urge to smile knowing that his son would only find it offensive. It was one of Dean's pet peeves when his father laughed at something he did as he was now a "big boy" and big boys "don't gets laughed at", "you never answered my question Ace do you remember the fairy tales? I used to read them to you before you went to sleep."

"Yes Daddy about the dragons and the princes and princesses!" he exclaimed.

Bae nodded, "very good, you see that's where we're going…to visit them…in Maine."

Dean's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, "but I thought they lived in Fairy tale land."

Sometimes his son was too smart for his own good. His memory was something that surprised almost everyone. Even if Dean met the person only once he'd remember their names, what they looked like and were they met. It was an uncanny trait that Bae sometimes wondered if it was something that he inherited or just a quirk his son possessed.

"They did bud, but something real bad happened to them," Bae said before heaving in a deep breathe, "you and me we're gonna go help 'em. Is that good with you?"

"Are we gonna be heroes daddy?"

Bae sighed looking once at the hopeful look on his son's face and silently muttered, "I sure hope so Ace."

Dean was silent for a moment before leaning forward, "what happened to them?" he asked.

"They were trapped in world without magic and magic is the essence of Fairy Tale land, it's at the core of their very soul," Bae explained and he gripped tighter onto the wheel, "they need to get it back," he slowed the car down a bit, "we need to get them home."

**Storybrooke, Maine, 4 Hours Later**

"Whose car is that?" Grumpy demanded calling attention to the other dwarves who came towards the boarder, "whose left the town?" and he turned and barked at them, "we are supposed to be protecting these _boarders_!"

A man in a wrinkled suit climbs out of the old ford pickup truck. His hair is brown in color and there is an odd familiarity about him. He glances once at them before quickly going towards the back of the truck and a small little boy hops down.

"Who are you?!" Grumpy called out.

The man took grasped onto the little boy's hand before raising his free hand in surrender.

"I asked you a question!"

"My name is Bae…and this is my son Dean" the man began glancing around at each of them, "you're the seven dwarfs right?"

"Well six dwarfs right now…Sneezy doesn't remember who he is." Bashful said.

Grumpy glared angrily at him before turning back to the man, "you remember your Fairytale life?"

"Yeah crystal clear." Bae replied.

The little boy began to tug on his father's sleeve, "you're a Fairy tale character too?!" he asked in disbelief, "why didn't you tell me?"

Bae glanced down on his son and knelt down, "Dean look I promise Daddy will explain everything about who he is in a little bit kay?" and he stood and began to address the dwarfs, "I've come to help to restore all of us back home."

"There is no home." Dopey moaned.

Bae looked down, "there isn't much left of it. Just a small little piece that the curse for whatever reason has not ravaged."

Grumpy folded his arms, "and how would you know?"

Bae swallowed harshly, "there's been a few times where I've been able to jump between the worlds…uncontrollable of course, but I have been back a few times. There isn't much but something is better than nothing."

**Granny's Café **

So this is the legendary Prince Charming, Bae thought to himself. The one that the refugees spoke so highly of, he must have been born after he fell into the portal. He'd never once heard of Prince Charming or a Snow White, or their child that would be the Savoir.

Prince Charming and his grandson Henry sat on one side of the booth with identical glares, whilst Dean sat sipping away at his glass of chocolate milk. He seemed completely unbothered by any of this.

"You've been back to Fairy tale land." Charming said slowly.

"Twice since I fell into a portal….once when I was in a foster home and then again when Dean was three," Bae replied, "why?"

Henry leaned forward and glanced around the room and began to whisper, "my mom and Snow White got pulled into the Mad hatter's hat and into Fairy tale land, we _need _to get them back."

There was something about Henry that struck him as familiar. Something about the way he talked and in his face. It wasn't something that Bae could place but it had been irking him since he first met the ten-year-old boy only moments ago. In Henry's brown eyes there was a small hope readable and Bae felt a sense of guilt of not having the answer that both Charming and Henry so desperately wanted.

"I don't know how to get back to Fairy tale land. Both times it was by accident," Bae admitted. Henry slumped back into his seat whilst Prince Charming's face contorted oddly, it stiffened completely, "I wasn't around when the curse fell. I came to the land without magic in a much different way then you did."

"What time did you come to this world."

"The second Ogre War."

Prince Charming blinked rapidly, "you came to this world during the Second Ogre War? That was many years before even I myself was born. This makes things much more complicated than it was before."

"What's an Ogre?" Dean piped up.

Charming and Bae exchanged a glance before Bae turned to look at his on.

"A very fowl creature Ace….a big monster….kind of like Shrek." Out of the corner of his eye Bae could make out the bewildered look on Charming's face.

Charming stood, "well it was nice meeting you…er-

"Bae…my Fairy tale name is Bae."

With a firm shake of a hand, Charming and Henry were out of the diner. Bae watched Henry as he walked side by side next to Charming attempting to match the elder's larger strides. It was an amusing sight to be seen and an even harder concept to grasp was that Charming was his grandfather.

"Daddy can you tell me about your Fairy tale life?" Dean asked.

"Once upon a time, Dean I was a young boy living in a world much much different than the one you live in. It was filled with magic and princesses and princes and the most terrible of creatures. The Ogres, they ravaged war upon the lands. It became the rule of the land that once a child turns fourteen they are to be given up to fight in the Ogre Wars…now my Pa-father loved me so dearly that he went to the greatest measures to keep me away from the war. You see much like you, I was my father's treasure."

Dean looked up wide eyed, "I'm a treasure?"

Bae smiled and nodded, "oh yes my dear….you are. Very much. Where was I?" he rubbed the edge of his chin, "right…my father did terrible things for my sake. He killed the people who wanted to take me away from him. And then later he went on to end the war."

"So he was a hero?" Dean questioned.

"A feared hero, not one person even thanked him for ending the war and saving their lives. Not even me. No, I wanted to go back to the old days where it was just the two of us together. I went to mother superior and she granted me a way to get to this land. A land without magic, but the power my father had was much too tempting. Power makes men weak and he couldn't let himself come with me."

The story was lost upon his young son. The tears at the bridge of his eyes began to fall. His son patted his shoulder and began to stand on the leather seat. He patted his father's back.

"Don't be sad Daddy….I'll go with you wherever you wanna go." Dean reassured, "even church."

"Thanks Dean."

**A/N: I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I realize that I'm basically only writing about Dean and about Bae, but I'm trying to get a sense of whom they are in my head before going on to write about Emma and Henry. This chapter is somewhere between 'Broken' and we are 'We Are Both'. Oh and I didn't mean to offend anyone with Dean's comment about church it's just when I was four years old that was the most boring place to go. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Granny's Motel**

Dean fall asleep the instant his little head touched the pillow. Something Bae wished he could do. He couldn't remember the last night he'd had a full night of sleep. Most nights he'd spend curled on his side, wondering what would happen if he lost the custody trial….what if he'd never seen his son again? It twisted his stomach into such painful knots that he wasn't just emotionally but physically sick.

The room was a fairly decent size for a motel room in a very small town. Much better than a lot of places he'd once had the misfortune of stumbling upon in first few months of his emancipated life.

All right Bae, he said in himself trying to focus himself. When he'd first landed in the non magical land he spent months attempting to get back to the magical world, to his Papa. All of the attempts were in deep vain, but it lead him to write everything down in a small little leather book that traveled with him anywhere. He wrote of the old land, of the Ogre Wars, of his parents, of Moraine. Everything, it was the one thing that made him believes that once upon a time he was Baelfire.

**18 Years Ago, Group Home in Montana**

There were four children in this group home; Bae was the eldest, then a rather oddly squared shape boy named Kevin who only occasional grunted, then Grace a small petite girl who seemed to only want to talk to her imaginary friends and then there was little August. The boy who'd been found starving near half to death only a little over four months ago, he'd attempted to run away from the orphanage, and the boys he'd run away with had left him abandoned.

"What are you doing Keegan?" a small voice whispered in the corner.

Bae was laying underneath the ripped covers of the bed that he was now occupying. There was no true need for him to be writing under the covers, their foster parents Greg and Mary were out, Kevin was downstairs watching TV. And Grace was off sitting in her usual corner.

"I'm writing, August."

The boy still had the gaunt cheeks that were evident of his malnutrition. He was a tall lanky boy with auburn colored hair and big blue eyes which were focused completely and wholly on him.

"What are you writing?"

Bae sighed deeply perhaps he could find a companion in this small boy. He seemed to be just as lonely as he was. Bae patted the edge of the bed motioning for August to sit. August hesitantly began to walk towards the bed plopping himself onto the indicated spot.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Bae asked, "one that you can't tell nobody?"

August nodded, "I don't know anyone." He answered simply.

"My name really isn't Keegan," Bae said the boy didn't seem to be all phased. He just sat with the same expression, "I'm writing about Fairytale Land."

"You know about Fairytale Land?" The boy asked raising both of his eyebrows.

Bae's mind was racing could August possibly be from the land he once called him? Could he? Had someone else fallen into a world without magic?

"Yes…are you from that land August?" Bae questioned.

August nodded, "I came here in a magical tree that my dad crafted."

The plausibility of his story seemed reasonable. Magic was a wondrous thing, and if Bae came upon this land by a sucking portal there was no doubt in his mind that August could have come by ways of a tree.

"I miss my home," August sniffed, "I wanna go home to my father."

"Me too," Bae replied, "maybe the two of us can figure out a way to get home."

Bae was taken by surprise when August suddenly buried his head into his t-shirt, and began to cry. The boy's body racked wholly. Bae awkwardly began to pat his back in what he hoped was a comforting way.

**Present Day-Granny's Bed and Breakfast **

When Bae finally forced himself to sit at the desk and sort through the notes, a newspaper in the trash bin caught his attention almost instantly. The headline read "Stranger Wrecks Ancient Sign." The picture was of…Emma. His heart began to race, Emma was here, in Maine. Or at the very least was. He should have known there was an inkling of a feeling that somehow someway she was connected to his old home.

There was a loud few knocks upon his door stirring the slumbering Dean from his sleep. A woman with a head of dark hair, dressed in all black and wearing ridiculously big sunglasses peaked her head in the room.

"Can I help you?" Bae questioned.

The woman stiffened up, "you don't know who I am?"

Bae shook his head, "sorry you don't look familiar in the least bit."

The woman flattened her blouse before making her way into the room further, "my name is Regina Mills, I'm the mayor of Storybrooke."

"I'm flattered that the Mayor has come all this way to my little motel room to welcome me, truly it's an honor," Bae said sarcastically, "who are you? Really I mean?"

"The Evil Queen so to speak…..," Regina replied starring around the room, her eyes focusing upon the slumbering boy, "you've never heard of me?" and then she looked back to the man, "who are you?"


	5. Chapter 5

"My name is…," Bae paused for moment, could she know who he was? Know his Papa? Perhaps not saying his true name to the Evil Queen would fare better for him, "Keegan… my name is Keegan."

Regina placed her hands on her hips and titled her head in a way that a mother might when their young child was in trouble. She clearly didn't believe him, but Bae pretended not to notice her suspicion as he quietly attempting to get his son back to sleep but his attempts were useless as Dean was captivated by the presence of the woman standing in their room.

"Whose she Daddy?" he questioned pointing towards Regina.

"Daddy eh?" Regina questioned bending down and starring into the boy's brown eyes; there was something unsettling familiar about the eyes as if she'd seen them before, "my name is Regina."

Bae stood from the bed positioning himself in front of his son and in-between Regina, "what are you doing here?"

For the first time Regina truly took in the appearance of the man. His straight brown hair, the shape of his nose then it drew on her.

"Henry…," she gasped out.

Bae furrowed his eyebrows together and scratched at the back of his head, "there's no Henry here."

Regina shook her head violently turning away from Bae. She walked towards the windows and drew back the curtain. Sun illuminated the once dark room. Outside of the room the town seemed to be up and running again. On one the street corners she caught sight of Charming and Henry animatedly playing with what appeared to be sticks.

"Do you know Emma Swan….Keegan?" She drew out with a smirk appearing on her face.

Bae was cut off guard completely by this question. His throat had gone completely dry. He stammered out his answer, "I used too…a long time ago."

Regina turned around folding her arms on over her chest, "hmm….ten eleven years ago?" Bae's mouth dropped open and he began to blink a few times starring dumbfounded at her, "you see….Emma Swan gave birth to baby boy ten and half years ago….," she trailed off watching with slight amusement as the realization dew upon him.

"Henry." He mumbled after a long silence.

**Corrective Center, 10 Years and Eight Months Ago**

"Emma…," Bae said pleadingly his face resting in-between two bars of her cell.

Emma sat on one of the cots with a stoic brooding look upon her face. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and she acted as if she hadn't heard Bae calling out her name for the past twenty minutes.

The guard walked up to Bae placing a large hand onto his shoulder and squeezing it tightly, "come on Mr. Brenten, maybe on another day the two of you can talk."

Bae quickly ducked out of his grasp wheeling around and grabbing at the cold poles. This was his sixth visit; every visit was spent the same. He'd beg for her to forgive him, beg for her to understand that he had no idea of what Riley had done, how truly sorry he was. And she'd just sit there was if were in a trance-like state. It was tearing himself into two to see the fiery teenager he once knew so broken.

"Emma….listen to me," Bae began, "if you never want to see me again I'd understand completely and wholly…," tears sprung up in his eyes, "but if you do, I promise you I will come here everyday….I will wait for your sentence to be up and then we can go together. Like you asked…," His voice broke as tears began to freely fall down his face, "Emma I love you…," he admitted out loud what he had thought for the past few months.

Emma for the first time reacted. She craned her neck around to face him.

"Where was this supposed love when I asked you to leave with me?" she demanded, "huh? When I sat there and cried and beg you to come along?!" she yelled, "I don't ever want to see you again. _Ever_. Go with that bitch of a wife… go live happily ever after or whatever the hell it is that you think is possible!"

"Emma-

"Don't you understand?" Emma cried out, "there are _no _happy endings."

**Present Day-**

Bae buried his face in his hands, running them over his face and through his hair. He felt as though a ton of bricks had just hit him squarely in the chest. It's what he deserved he thought to himself.

"Daddy?" Dean began poking him, "Daddy?!" he cried out, "are you okay?"

The deep devotion between the son and the father was astounding to Regina. The boy couldn't have been more than four at the most and he seemed to pick up on not so apparent signs. He sent a pouty angered glare at Regina as if he was trying to will her away with his mind. It was quite cute on a boy so little.

"You know your relationship with Henry can prove quite essential to my position." Regina said.

Bae looked up wearily, "what we talking a deal?"

"Perhaps…what do you now of deals?" asked Regina.

"A lot more than you think dearie," Bae replied with a sigh.

_Dearie_. That word. _Rumpelstiltskin_. So this was Rumpelstiltskin's son. Regina could remember only once that Rumpelstiltskin spoke of his son, but in those few moments it was evident that the son meant the world to him. This man was truly a prize his ties to both Rumpelstiltskin and to the Charming Family were just too tempting to resist.

"Daddy I'm scared of her." Dean whispered clutching on to his father's arm tightly, peaking his head out for only a few moments at time. Any moment their eyes met he'd duck behind his father as if she looked at him something horrible would happen. Was she just this intimating force that children just hated upon sight?

"Can we discuss our deal later Ms. Evil Queen slash Regina Mills whichever you prefer to be called?" Bae asked, "You're scaring my kid."

"Of course," Regina replied, "it was nice meeting you…we'll be in touch."

Bae nodded biting onto his lip. She left the door open a slight creak as she left. Bae waited until he could no longer hear the thud of her high heels before turning to Dean and pulling him onto his lap.

"Its okay, Dean…it's all okay…Daddy's not gonna let her hurt you…." Bae reassured softly, "Daddy's not gonna let anybody hurt you, promise."


	6. Chapter 6

**4 Hours Later-**

The thoughts inside of his brain had been running nonstop since the Evil Queen dumped it upon him that he had another son. A son with Emma…oh good god did she was pregnant whilst in jail. How long had she been in jail? A year, she gave birth in a jail. He sat there silently cursing himself to the worst parts of hell.

"Daddy there's someone knocking on the door." Dean's high pitched voice broke his train of thoughts, "they keep knocking really loud."

"Dean…can you do something for me?" Bae said quickly standing, "hide underneath this bed okay?"

Dean looked up incomprehensive, "are we playing a game daddy?"

"Yes…quick go head Ace." Bae said quickly standing and going to answer the door.

Dean stood and scampered off pushing himself underneath bed. Bae's arm trembled as he reached down for the knob, wondering who it could possibly be that lingered outside the door. With hesitancy he opened the door a creak to find Prince Charming standing there.

"Hello….can I ask you a question?" Prince Charming asked.

Bae scratched his head before opening the door the rest of the way, motioning for Charming to enter. Anxiously he waited to see Henry again but this time the boy was not accompanying Charming. He wasn't quite sure whether to be relieved or upset over this. It surely saved himself from being even more heartbroken at the thought of not knowing about him or his mother's predicament.

"How exactly did you travel back to Fairytale Land?" asked Charming strutting into the room, "I know you said it was by accident but something must have happened. Perhaps magic?"

The tone of his voice sounding accusingly and it took Bae a moment to realize what Charming was drawing upon.

"If you accusing me of using dark magic or something you are completely misinformed and misguided," Bae explained, "this land are _truly _a land without magic," and then slightly grudgingly he added, "at least it _was_."

"Tell me how exactly you came upon Fairytale land…where were you…who were you with?" Charming asked.

Bae leaned backwards onto the bed, "I was fourteen. It was a few months after I came to this world and I was in this group home in Montana. And there was this younger boy who was also from Fairytale land August. The two of us hitchhiked, took buses and various other methods of transportation to Maine to try and attempt to go back to Fairytale land….we succeeded…some what. Just as soon as the portal sucked us in it sucked us straight back out."

Charming's face looked murderous. His hands began to clench and unclench for a moment and Bae was sure he looked just about ready to strangle him.

"Who was the younger boy?" Charming asked through gritted teeth.

"August…er Pinocchio." Bae said.

Charming's face turned so red and so contorted Bae seriously wondered for a moment if steam would pour out of his ears. But again, this was reality(sort of at least) so rather Charming just became redder before all the muscles in his face began to relax.

"Excuse me….I must go find Geppetto." Charming turned quickly.

Bae quickly reached for his jacket throwing it over his shoulders before getting on the ground, "come on Dean…me and you are gonna chase down Charming before he kills Uncle August or his father."

**Geppetto's House**

The tears that had been pouring out of Geppetto's eyes wouldn't stop. He wasn't sure there was a time he felt happier in his life than when Pinocchio returned looking both happy and healthy and not wooden.

"What happened to Emma?" August asked in-between spoonfuls of soup.

Geppetto frowned slightly, "she broke the curse but unfortunately rather recently she and Snow White have been sucked back into Fairytale land."

August began to cough and choke on the soup spitting out pieces onto the table. Geppetto stood instantly rushing over and patting his son firmly on the back until the coughing fight subdued.

"Here drink the water." Geppetto held the cup for his son.

August took two long gulps swallowing the whole contents of the glass before setting it onto the table with a harsh thud. Geppetto gave him a concerned look titled his head.

"We will find a way to bring them back my son."

August shook his head vehemently, "you don't understand father….the land it's much different…..almost all of it is consumed by the curse and the old creatures ravage the land."

Geppetto was taken back as he eyed his son over once again, "you've been back to Fairytale land?"

"Only once," August admitted, "it was one of the most terrifying things I've ever done. To think that the land was once my home was too harsh to imagine."

The front door of the house slammed open, a slightly soaking wet Charming stomps into the room startling both August and Geppetto. Charming strode into the kitchen going straight for Geppetto lifting the elderly man out of his seat by the collar of his shirt and shoving the man against the wall.

"You lied to me, to the whole kingdom, you could have jeopardized _everything_!" Charming roared, "how could you?"

"How could I?" Geppetto croaked out, "all I wanted to do was _save_ my boy."

"Charming…..," August breathed out grabbing at the man's arms attempting to release the grip he had on his father, but his attempts proved futile. Charming's grip was that of iron on this man.

"I wanted to _save _my boy just like you wanted to _save _your daughter…." Geppetto said through gasps of air.

**A/N: To answer **Kou Shun'u **perhaps in my head it worked better. Bae in my own personal head cannon when he was sucked into a portal he was sent towards the future, I don't know why but it's another theory I had in tumblr. Oh and I should mention I've only recently gotten into the show so if some of my mathematical or character information is completely wrong I apologize most of it is creative liberty. **


	7. Chapter 7

The day couldn't have gotten any worse than the moment it began to downpour. Bae felt every muscle in his body begin to ache as if the physical effects of spending nearly five hours in a car, finding out that he had yet another son, Emma was in fairytale land and the splitting headache that had settled in his temples. The urge and the momentum in going to save his boyhood friend was now gone.

"Daddy?" Dean asked quietly, "why are we waiting at the bus stop?"

Bae sighed, "I guess we're waiting for the rain to stop."

Dean hooped onto the bench beside his father. His little feet tangled off the edge and hung a few inches in the air. In the rush they pair had fled the hotel Bae had failed to realize that one his son's shoes were on the wrong feet and second the laces were untied. Bae slid off the edge of the bench and knelt beside his son.

"Which hand is your right hand?" Bae asked and Dean raised it, "all right good, now which is your right shoe?"

Dean paused for a moment glancing down at his shoes before a dimpled smile come across his face, he giggled slightly and then pointed at the shoe that was resting on his left shoe. Bae nodding before carefully slipping off the shoes and gently placing them onto the correct feet, and then went on to explain in a childlike voice "Bunny ears, bunny ears, playing by a tree. Criss-crossed the tree, trying to catch me. Bunny ears, Bunny ears, jumped into the hole, popped out the other side beautiful and bold." His son began to recite the very familiar words but sometimes grew quiet over the ones he couldn't quite remember. Slowly the pitter patter of the rain on the top of the bus stop stalled for a few moments before stopping completely.

**Geppetto's Home**

The tension was quite thick in Geppetto's cramped kitchen. Geppetto sat as far away as possible from Charming who was leaning against a wall his arms crossed. August stood next to his father keeping his hand upon his shoulder.

"I guess I'm a tad bit late." Bae remarked as he took sight of the shattered pieces of a shelf on the ground. His eyes feel upon August, "August….," he greeted.

The look upon Charming's face was what kept him from embracing his longtime friend. Dean was the only one who seemed to be unaffected by the tension and excitedly raced up to hug his godfather. August bent down and quickly squeezed the small boy before releasing him.

"Charming….I was thinking maybe possibly the magic tree where August came through could still have a little bit of magic in it," Bae said quickly trying to ease the tension.

Charming's face light up almost instantly but soon fell, "the border would erase all of my memories as Charming."

Bae scratched at his head, "maybe _you _can't because you're affected by the curse but maybe me and August _can_." The amount of distrust was evident in Charming's face, "do you have any other options?"

**Bae's Car**

"You're gonna stay here with Uncle August's daddy," Bae said in a fake assured confident voice as he rubbed his son's arms, "he's gonna take good care of you whilst Daddy is gone. And Daddy won't be gone for too long….," Bae held his son's hands and gently began to squeeze them, "you're gonna be a good brave boy right?"

Dean solemnly blinked, "yes Daddy."

Bae placed a lingering kiss to the boy's forehead before allowing Geppetto to take Dean inside of the house. Bae felt guilty within less than forty-eight hours his son had been declared in his custody, traveled to Maine and shipped off to live with a complete stranger. His poor boy.

"It's not forever Bae," August said gently, "you will see him again."

**A/N: Reviews again are loved.**


	8. Chapter 8

Rumpelstiltskin wasn't exactly sure why he'd taken it upon himself to traverse through the back roads of the town. A part of him was thinking maybe it'd clear his head but it only began to muck it up even more than it had been previously. Sighing, he was just ready to turn around and head home when he caught sight of a small boy sitting on the edge of the sidewalk his legs tucked into his chest. His head buried in them.

He hoped the very fake smile he'd attempted looked sincere rather than scary as he ambled on down the road. He taped the small boy's shoulder. Slowly the boy looked up his eyes were red and puffy, tears still dribbling down his face. The sight in front of him made him feel something, something he hadn't felt in a long time. Heartbreak? Sympathy?

"Are you lost dearie?" he asked.

"I'm looking for my daddy," the boy hiccupped slightly using his shirt sleeve to wipe away the tears.

Rumpelstiltskin frowned slightly, he'd never seen the boy before, which meant he most likely didn't know who he belonged too.

"Where's your daddy?"

Instead of answering the boy began to cry again. Rumpelstiltskin began to look around hoping that someone would come along and perhaps stop this boy's tears and perhaps know where his daddy was.

"It's all right little one," Rumpelstiltskin murmured, "what's your daddy's name?"

The boy looked up with big brown eyes, "Bae."

"What do you mean your father _lost _Dean?!" Bae cried out gripping so tightly onto the wheel that his knuckles were white.

"He said that he set up dinner for Dean and went to the bathroom and came out and he was gone," August said, "and he said he went out looking for him and couldn't see him anywhere."

The world was spinning in Bae's mind. The idea of his son being lost was always a terrifying thought, but his son being lost in a place that contained magic and fairytale creatures was much more horrifying. The Evil Queen and his father being two of the forces roaming around the town, he prayed silently in his head that it anyone other than those two would stumble upon Dean.

"Bae…..,"

"No." Bae snapped out.

The Evil Queen once said they would be useful to her. What did useful mean to an evil queen? All of these horrible scenarios played through his mind, they became worse and worse with each passing thought.

At first Rumpelstiltskin was sure he'd misheard the boy. He leaned in closer to the boy cupping his ear.

"I'm sorry can you repeat your daddy's name?"

"Bae," the boy stated again.

Rumpelstiltskin felt himself begin to shake. The last time he thought he'd found Bae, it turned out to be someone else who later tried to threaten him. Here was a small child saying his father's name was Bae. It couldn't be a coincidence could it?

"Why don't you come with me?" Rumpelstiltskin asked.

A small pout displayed across the young boy's features and in a whisper he muttered, "Daddy says I'm not supposed to leave with strangers."

Smart boy, Rumpelstiltskin thought to himself, "but what if I said we're not strangers? What if I told you we were family eh?"

The boy's eyes began to light up and his eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, "I don't remember you." He stated.

"That's because we never met," Rumpelstiltskin replied, "what if I told you I'm Bae's daddy."

Daddy. It was the first time he'd ever referred to himself as "daddy". Daddy was a term that was used quite a bit in the nonmagical world and a term he never was quite comfortable with as he'd grown up accustomed to Papa. He offered his hand out to the boy. The little boy stared at him for a long time before taking his hand.

"Dearie, what is your name?" Rumpelstiltskin asked as he pulled the boy up.

"Dean."

Dean? _Really_? Rumple thought to himself. It was such a nonmagical name and then again Bae shared such a passion for a land without magic. Perhaps he was ashamed of his old life in Fairytale land and wished to forget all about his heritage and thus why he gave his son such a name.

"If you're my daddy's daddy….does that make you my Grandpa?" Dean questioned.

"I suppose so."

Grandpa. It was a term Rumple thought he'd never associate with himself, ever.

"Are you from Fairytale Land like my daddy is?"

"Mr. Gold!" an affirmative voice yelled out.

Charming had recognized the little boy as Dean, the newcomer's kid. Certainly the boy shouldn't know Rumpelstiltskin and most definitely not holding his hand. It was a bit eerie to see.

"What are you doing with him?" Charming demanded.

"He's my grandson."

"Your _what_?"

**Granny's Motel**

Bae began to hurriedly dig in the hastily packed duffel bag desperate to find a picture of Dean. He tossed out pairs of jeans, plaid shirts and small shirts and jeans around the room before finally coming across a wrinkled school picture buried in the bag. It was from the year prior, Dean's hair wasn't quite as short anymore but it would subdue for now.

"Have you seen this boy?" he asked of Granny who peered at the picture from behind her glasses.

She shook her head sadly and gave a sympathetic look, "sorry."

Wasting little time he dashed down a flight of stairs onto the street where he caught sight of Charming and Henry walking. He darted up a head.

"Have you seen my son?" Bae asked.

The look upon Charming's face was similar to the one he had plastered onto his face when they were standing in Geppetto's kitchen. Bae looked to Henry for an explanation but the ten-year-old looked away.

**Mr. Gold's Shop**

Dean had taken quite a interest in all of the trinkets scattered amongst the store, running his hands along each and every one of them. Curiosity was something that Rumpelstiltskin could always remember Bae having. Always asking questions about things, always noticing things that other children might not have.

"Tell me child what is your daddy like?" Rumpelstiltskin asked.

Dean froze for a moment, "he's very nice…..he tells real good stories…..he's tall." All very simplistic childlike answers that Rumple should have expected from a four-year-old child but rather he desired for much more information about Bae. Most of all was he happy? Did Bae find his happy ever after in this strange land? But before he could ever ask another question the jiggling of the bells alerted them to the door being open. It slammed shut loudly.

"Dean?!" a deep husky voice yelled out, "Dean are you here? It's Daddy!"

Dean dashed into the other room letting out a gleeful shout upon seeing Bae. Rumple felt himself forcing his feet to traverse into the other room. A man much younger than he expected Bae to be in this world was tightly embracing Dean in his arms murmuring words of comfort. The face slightly resembled the Bae's he remembered it was the curly locks of brown hair that still looked exactly the same. Behind Bae was Charming and Henry.

Bae grasped tightly onto Dean's upper arms, "don't do that to Daddy again…do you hear me?" Dean nodded once again and Bae tightly embraced the boy lifting him off his feet as Bae stood up.

It was completely evident how much Bae truly adored the boy. Rumple felt a great sense of relief; his son was all right. At the very least physically.

"You kidnapped my kid?" Bae accused in a hurt tone.

**A/N: They finally reunite…sort of. **


	9. Chapter 9

The accusation in his voice felt to Rumple as a sharp knife had just cut through his body.

"No-no! Bae! No I did-didn't!" Rumple stammered out attempting to cover the breaking of his voice, "I found him alone crying."

Bae's intense glare broke for a moment as he shifted his son in his arms resting Dean onto his hip. Dean had an iron tight grasp on his father's neck, suffocating Bae a little. He reached up to pry the little hands but they didn't budge much. Rather Dean nuzzled his head into the crook of his father's neck like he used to when he was a baby.

"Bae I would never kidnap your son." Rumple said softly taking a shaky step closer to his son.

The strained look upon his face made Rumple stop his in his tracks. Bae squeezed his eyes tightly shut as if it would break the deeply buried emotions and the scene away. But when he creaked one eye open after the other, he was still standing in the Pawn Shop only a mere few inches away from his father. Charming and Henry still stood there perfectly still. Their presence was hindering his word choice. He'd dreamt of this day for year he should have had the words scripted out already.

"Bae look at me please son," Rumple cried out, "I am so sorry…..I must tell you every waking moment since you came to this world I've spent looking for you."

The man who once was regarded as the "Dark One" did not look so dark when he had tears forming in his eyes. There was a pounding in Bae's head due to the two voices in his head; one screaming go hug your Papa and the other telling him to remain where he was that his father had broken their deal.

"I'm sorry," Bae mumbled shuffling his feet along the wooden boards, "I can't do this."

He turned away breathing heavily whilst slowly shuffling his feet along the floor forcing himself out of the shop.

"Bae please…you can't leave…you can't leave me. Bae I need you," Rumble begged his voice breaking, "Bae _please_."

Bae stopped in his tracks his shoulders hunching slightly before craning his neck to face his Papa. Every intention of walking out of the store completely disappeared upon seeing the broken look on Rumple's face. Rumple once again crossed the distance between himself and his son. He slowly began to embrace his son. At first is was one-sided as Bae was as stiff as a board, but it only took him a few moments to melt into the embrace, using his free arm to wrap it around his Papa.

"Oh Bae," Rumple murmured softly, "I'm so sorry…so sorry."

"It's okay Papa….it's okay." Bae said softly as his hand dropped and he forced himself out of the embrace. Rumple's arms lingered on him for a moment before falling to his sides, "I'm sorry." Bae sniffed out.

Rumple tilted his head, "what are you sorry about?" he questioned.

"Accusing you of kidnapping my kid," Bae said softly.

"Bae you have _nothing _to be sorry for, it's me who needs to apologize…I'm the one who broke our deal."

"I've missed you Papa."

**Later that Night **

"What kind of bedtime story?" Dean asked.

He was tucked into bed with the comforters drawn up to his chin. It was quite amazing how much energy the child had. It was nearly midnight and he'd been awake since before seven. Any other child his age would have fallen asleep by now.

"Not a bedtime story," Bae said softly his head was still splitting and his body felt heavy, "my story."

Dean blinked a few times whilst Bae began to think of how exactly to begin this tale. Aside from August, it wasn't a tale he'd told anyone else. This was his son well _one _of his sons. It must be told right, he began at the very beginning. He told Dean of his mother, the one who'd left them though he decided to keep the part about the band of thieves out of the story. The tale was just as messier without out it. Dean was completely silent and solemn during it as if he could understand the seriousness of it despite his age.

"Do you love your daddy?" Dean asked once Bae had stopped talking.

Bae looked down, "yes. I do."

"Why did we leave the shop then? Why didn't we stay with your daddy?"

"Because….well first of all he doesn't have room for us and second of all I'm a grown up and grown ups don't live with their parents."

"Mommy did."

Riley's mother. Even the mere thought of her, made Bae cringe. He wasn't quite sure which was truly crueler, Riley or her mother Deanna.

"Mommy's er….," Bae stumbled on the words for a moment, "mommy's not a grown up. Remember how sometimes she'd cry and wouldn't eat all of her food?"

Dean nodded.

"See she needed a grown up to look after her, now me I'm a grown up," Bae felt quite childish proclaiming that he was a grown up but he hoped it was a simplistic answer that his four-year-old could grasp, "now you need to sleep and so does daddy." Bae placed a kiss to Dean's forehead, his lips lingering there before whispering, "goodnight Ace." Before standing and walking around the bed, lifting the covers and climbing in beside his son. Sleep did not come easy for him.

**Early Next Morning **

"August its five-thirty in the morning." Bae mumbled as he rubbed at his eyes tiredly.

His restless sleep was stirred by the loud pounding on the door only a few moments ago. It certainly wasn't the best night of sleep he'd ever had but under the emotional reunion he'd had the night before, it was too be expected.

Instead of giving an answer August walked past his friend pacing in a circle around the room gesturing his hands.

"I was thinking of something you told me when we were kids," August said, "that true love breaks through all curses and all worlds….perhaps we could contact Snow White by using her love with Prince Charming, there isn't a love truer in the world that I can think of."

Bae slumped onto the side of the bed, "this is what you came to my door at five-thirty to discuss with me?"

August frowned slightly taking in the disheveled emotionally drained Bae, "I don't suppose you'd prefer to talk about your Papa would you? I mean I thought it would be too much."

"Right….onto the communication thing how exactly does that work?"

August glanced around the room for a moment before his eyes landed upon the dusty covered mirror hanging on the opposite wall. He strode over to the wall and gestured at it.

"A mirror?" Bae snorted, "can you get any more cliché?"

"Mirror, mirror on the wall has gotta start from somewhere right?" August protested, "its worth a try isn't it?"

**A/N: I find Rumple extremely hard to write but I hope I did all right. Please leave your reviews .**


	10. Chapter 10

"Charming's out trying to find a way to close the entrance to my mother's evil lair," Henry informed them.

The boy sat in a school uniform with leather bound book open in front of him with a huge mug of hot chocolate resting beside him. He rested his head on his hand as he flipped through more pages of the book.

"Hey you're not wooden anymore," he exclaimed starring up and down at August.

August smiled widely, "you're right all thanks to you for breaking the cures….cept next time kid can you try doing that without getting poisoned?"

Bae's head snapped up, "poisoned?! By who?"

"The evil queen," Henry answered simply before returning to the book.

"What when? Are you all right?" Bae asked deep concern laced in his voice. August gave him a questioning look.

"A little less than a week ago but Emma saved me." Henry answered, "I'm fine really."

August gestured towards the empty seats on the booth. Bae slide across the booth for the first time truly examining the book that Henry was reading. Instant nostalgia come over him…it couldn't be. It can't be. He reached forward tilting the book upward catching only a moment glimpse at its cover. _Once Upon A Time._

**18 Years Ago-Group Home**

"Let's write all of it down," Bae exclaimed whilst pacing around the small closet of a bedroom he shared with Pinocchio.

August was sitting cross-legged on his bed, hands resting in his lap. He titled his head in confusion, his curly brown hair falling into his eyes. He was in desperate need of a haircut but neither Greg nor Mary cared much for their general appearance.

"People already wrote our stories." August replied shrugging his bony shoulders, "why should we?"

"Because…..we know the truth!" Bae exclaimed walking up to August's bed and kneeling on it, taking the boy's shoulders and shaking them, "we know the truth."

Wide-eyed and slightly afraid August nodded, "we do."

"Then we write _everything _down."

"_Everything_?" August gulped.

"Everything we can remember."

Bae felt his mouth drop as he turned to look at August accusingly, "is this?" He points to the book.

A mischievous look appears on August's face as he reaches for the menu resting on the other side of the table. He licked his finger as he dragged the menu up and down it.

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you are referring too Bae." August said.

Henry was enthralled as he stared between the two who were clearly having a silent facial expression communication between the pair. Bae clearly was frustrated with August who was attempting to call Ruby over from the counter to take their order. Ruby strutted over with a grin upon her face.

"Good morning Pinocchio," she said in a slightly mocking sort of tone taking the pen out of her ear and standing poised with the paper, "what would you like?"

"I'd like some water and perhaps some waffles,"

At this point agitation had taken over Bae as he tapped his fingers on the table in a furious motion waiting for his friend to stop ordering.

"I'll have coffee black please with sugar and milk," Bae said quickly flashing her a smile as the skimpily dressed waiter walked back, "is that what…I think it is."

Henry leaned across the table and in a hushed whisper asked, "did you guys write this book?"

"Sort of," August replied, "we didn't write it _alone_."

Henry stayed in wide-eyed wonder at the two of them before leaning backwards and slumping into his seat. He looked to August.

"Now my question is how did it get to Storybrooke?" Bae asked whirling his head around to face August.

August shrugged and glanced at his watch, "I think one of the others may have possibly dropped it off."

Henry looked between the two, "who are the others?" he asked.

"Now that Henry is a story for another day," August said, "aren't you suppose to be at school or something?"

"Not until seven thirty," Henry protested, "and it's only little past six o'clock."

"Does the school have a preschool?" Bae asked, "Dean was in preschool back in New York for half-days I wouldn't want him to fall behind."

Henry nods.

"Maybe you can show me the school."

Looking into the preschool was mostly the reason why he wanted to speak with Henry but most of it had to due with the fact that he'd like to get a chance to speak to Henry, and try to figure out what he knew about his father.

**11 Years Ago, Lumos Café in Phoenix **

"And that is why I will never be able to fly in an airplane," Bae finished his tale before picking up his steaming coffee and beginning to take little sips.

Emma smiled at him. It was one of the many stories she'd heard in the past few months, he was quite the storyteller. Always telling somewhat amusing and yet ironically similar stories of how certain technology and him didn't get along. A technophobe and yet he was a young man.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Emma said after a few moments of silence.

Bae looks up and blinked, "uh sure yeah…..I guess."

Emma bit her lip slightly before pushing strains of hair tucking it behind her left ear, "what were your parents like?"

Bae looked as if something rather large had landed on his foot. His eyes became as large as saucers and his skin became noticeably paler.

"You don't have to tell me anything I shouldn't have asked." Emma said quickly.

Bae quickly gulped down a large portion of coffee burning a portion of his tongue when he finished he placed the coffee onto the table, "no it's all right….I was just caught off guard by it. Once upon a time, both of my parents lived with me not happily but together. She was an adventurous person by nature and I guess she just wasn't cut out to be the housewife none the less a mother. The last time I can remember seeing her I was six and for a very long time it was just me and my Papa," Emma's eyebrows furrowed together at the mention of Papa. It wasn't a commonly used term in the nonmagical world, "and there was this war that was drafting all of the children at the age of fourteen so my Papa sent me away shortly after I'd turned fourteen."

It was a stretch of the truth; sort of. He couldn't figure out a way to explain about the "dark one" without sounding certifiably insane. People in this land were much more closed minded about nearly _everything_. They had no faith.

"Where are you from that it uses kids for war?" Emma questioned, "Israel?"

Bae stalled for a moment trying to think over what his options were before replaying, "yeah just around there."

Emma clearly didn't believe him she heaved in a deep breathe tapping at the edge of her Styrofoam cup, "I was found along the edge of a highway…,"she whispered softly, "my parents didn't even bother with a church or a hospital nope just on the edge of the highway." There was bitter resentment evident in her voice, "how could a person leave a baby on the side of a free way and not be sure what would become of the baby?"

Her eyes became misty and she quickly looked away wiping at her eyes with the edge of her sleeve. Bae quickly reached across the table and drew a few napkins from the dispenser and waved them gently under her.

"You know maybe they had no other choice," Bae replied, "maybe leaving you on the side of the road was giving you _your _best chance."

"How is leaving a defenseless infant on the side of a road giving it its best chance?" Emma questioned.

"You give a good argument and I'm sorry that I don't know why your parents would leave you on the side of the road," Bae said, "but I think they made one of the biggest mistakes of their lives, Emma. You're a wonderful person and if this doesn't sound creepy or anything you're very beautiful."

"Thank you."

There was a long moment that felt like an eternity that the two were just starring at each other. Neither was quite sure who moved in closer first but regardless their kiss lingered on much longer than either expected it too. It was Bae who finally drew apart clasping his hand over his mouth.

"Oh my god…," he muttered in complete disbelief.

He'd just kissed a minor and he was married. Emma's green eyes roamed his face, a look of hurt crossed her face.

"What?" she questioned.

"Emma you're seventeen," Bae said softly.

"I'll be eighteen in two weeks," Emma interjected.

"I'm twenty-two," Bae admitted standing quickly and gathering all of the various law books he'd brought to the café and stuffing them into his suitcase in a hasty fashion, "I have to go."

**A/N: to answer ****helikesitheymikey****'s ****question: August never told Bae about traveling to the new world with Emma, he was too ashamed too. Rather he told him a modified version about him being sent here by a magical wardrobe. And it should be fun to explore the ways in which Rumpelstiltskin and Charming share the role of being Henry's grandfather, and even more interesting to me at least when Bae is revealed at Henry's father, because in my head Charming is not gonna easily be okay with this. It's gonna cause some competition between the two I think. As for Emma ending up with someone I don't know yet maybe I'll let the reviewers decide. **

**I'm not sure exactly how much I like this chapter, so please let me know what you think and I'm really bad at writing kissing scenes but I hope this is all right. **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Kou Shun'u has pointed out there are a lot of inconsistencies in Bae's timeline and I am sincerely sorry for this. I am terrible at math was more excited with content than with timelines so I'm going to attempt my best to explain this. I don't know if anyone of you have read Narnia the time moves differently. Let's just call the time before Emma is born BE(kind of like Before Christ because she is the savoir so to speak) Let's say Rumple was born in 64 BE, let's say Bae was born in 32 BE, and I don't know if they ever mentioned how old Charming and Snow are, but let's say they're both 28 years old like Emma is. So they're born in 28 BE. Bae fell into the portal when he was fourteen so that'd make the time period 38 BE. Let's say Bae went into the portal 3 times. Where Bae was suspended in time and ended up being sent into our world three years after Emma and August where(so in Fairytale land it would've have been the year 3 AE for after Emma's birth and around 1987 in our time) where he and August met, traveled to Maine where they shortly visited Fairytale land before being sent back to the orphanage. In 1989 when Bae is seventeen he and his foster parents travel abroad where he again visits Fairytale land this time for much longer, but time there has stopped. When he returns in the year(1994) he is physically being twenty-four he still appeared to be seventeen years old the same age as August. In the time period of Bae's absence August met the other three writers(I have them in mind but I'm not saying who) In 1994 Emma would be ten years old. In 2000 he meets Riley and in late 2000 he marries her. In 2000 Bae would appear to be twenty-three years old but would actually be thirty, in 2001 he meets a seventeen-year-old Emma and in 2002 Henry is born. In 2008 Dean is born. I hope this explains it a little bit better and I will be going into more detail. Thank you all for your reviews and how closely you're paying attention!**

The wind was brisk as Bae, Henry and Dean walked down the main street of Storybrooke. A few people would wave hello to Henry and he'd say hello back but otherwise it was quiet. Bae's thoughts inside of his head were buzzing. He was watching Henry intently. Appearance wise, he saw himself but mannerism and his smile was pure Emma.

"You're starring," Henry pointed out.

Bae paused for a moment and hoarsely whispered his apology. He coughed clearly his throat before turning to Henry, "say how's your mom?"

Henry narrowed his eyes, "Regina or Emma?"

"Emma…," Bae said softly.

Henry paused slightly his eyes focusing in on something behind them. He jerked his head in that direction, "Mr. Gold's coming towards us." He said.

Bae felt his chest tighten and he gripped tightly onto Dean's hand tugging the boy along rapidly, but Dean's head was turned.

"But its Grandpa…," Dean began.

"We gotta get the two of you to school." Bae said scooping Dean up onto his hip and beginning to speed walk.

A part of him felt very childish, but another part of him didn't want to face his father. He needed more time to think of the man who'd let him go. The coward and the list of name calling could go on and on. Most of all his father still invoked a certain amount of fear in him. There was magic here. He could easily become the dark one. The one he'd heard so many stories of.

"Bae wait! Please!" Mr. Gold called out.

Henry grabbed onto his arm halting him for a moment, "he's your dad and the reason why there's magic here. Maybe you should see what he wants."

Bae felt a deep guilt settling in his stomach. No matter how many times he'd told himself his Papa died a long time ago the shell of him existed. Mr. Gold began rapidly walking towards them. Bae bent down and placed Dean onto his feet, grabbing the child's hand tightly.

"Wait for me okay?" Bae said softly praying that Henry would say yes.

Henry nods. Bae and Dean begin to cross the street and meet Rumple in the middle.

"Hi grandpa," Dean greeted happily.

A large smile appeared on Rumple's face, something he couldn't remember really doing since the days when Bae was small. Those days seemed like many a lifetime ago. The little boy was truly a happy-go-lucky soul who'd obviously been loved and adored his whole life, never once burdened by the realities of a harsh world. Rumple wished more than anything that Bae too could have lived his life unburdened, but wishing never got anyone anywhere.

"What do you want?" Bae breathed out uneasily swaying on his feet and glancing nervously around at everything and anything but his Papa.

"I want to talk to my son," Rumple said softly.

Bae opened his mouth to comment when he heard Henry calling out his name frantically. Wide-mouthed he sifted his gaze towards the Henry, who was pointing towards a greenish light that was opening in the street just in front of him. It was a light that Bae and Rumple knew all too well.

"I have to go after him," Bae muttered and he looked to his young son and in a hastily made decision he decided it'd be safest for him here, "stay with Grandpa Dean all right? Please?"

"Bae don't!"

Bae paused a moment in his tracks watching as the green light grew bigger, he turned to his father, "he's my son….I have to go."

The shock of the discovery left Rumple dumbfounded and paralyzed to his spot. Bae took the moment of silence as his chance to dart across the street. The portal now lay near Henry's feet.

"Henry….don't!" Bae yelled out.

This was perhaps the only chance to see his mother and Snow. Perhaps ever to see Fairytale land, the need and worry about his mother and Snow is what propelled him to take another shaky steep forward. While his foot hung just over the portal he thought maybe it wasn't such a great idea but the sucking force of the portal drew him in.

"Bae don't! Please Bae!" Rumple called out.

"I have too." Bae yelled out and in the second time in his life, he fell into the green-light portal.

**Neverland **

Bae felt himself skid across the ground, his face landing into the sand. He lifted his head up wearily glancing around checking for any threats upon not seeing any he rolled onto his back. The sun was shinning brilliantly down onto him and he began to squint.

"Henry?" he called out propping himself up on his elbows searching for the boy, instantly sitting up straight upon not seeing him. When he stood he could see the Henry was standing by the shore of the water, starring intently at it.

Bae brushed the sand off himself and began trotting along the shoreline towards Henry.

"Are you all right?" Bae asked eyeing over Henry for any visible cuts or bruises, "are you hurt?"

"No," Henry murmured softly.

The sadness in his voice was not lost upon Bae. The kid looked like a lost puppy. He hung his head. Bae knelt down so Henry's face was just above his own.

"I thought I'd see my mom," Henry said, "I thought this would take me to them."

Bae sighed softly feeling sympathy for the boy, knowing truly what it was like to wonder what had become of a parent. He'd never forget the night his father had come home with tears in his eyes and told him his mother had died. To a young boy, death wasn't something easily understood. So for a very long time after that night, he'd wait until his father was asleep before walking out to the bar and checking for his mother. Thinking one of these days she'd come home.

_"Your mother is gone Bae! Gone! Don't you understand?" His father yelled before beginning to get choked up, "she is never ever coming back! Do you hear me?!"_

It wasn't until long after that he'd discovered the truth or rather was told by a bunch of rowdy pirates who found it pleasurable to tell the tale of how his mother left his coward of a father to be with the captain. The worst part of it all, was to hear that Rumple had killed her. The captain took great pleasure in torturing him, the son of the Dark One. It was on a very stormy night that he'd finally escaped and washed upon shore.

"Henry I can't tell you where your mother and Snow White are, Fairytale land is a vast place," Bae replied, "there is not even a single map in existence that maps it all out. It is a terrifying place, even more so now than ever. Most of it has been ravished by the dark curse, but the parts that remain untouched are very dangerous. This is Neverland, Henry, look the lost boys and Margaret are somewhere on the island….most likely watching us,"

Henry's face scrunched up, "Margaret?" he asked.

"One of er- Wendy's grandchildren…it's a long story, but we have to get going."

**A/n: please, please, please, let me know what you think!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Home of Bae and Riley Brenten, 11 Years Ago**

"Riley….I'm home."

In the kitchen of the small two-bedroom ranch house, sat Riley Brenten. A woman of twenty-three, who sat at the kitchen table with her usual stoic brooding face, her eyes were plastered on the digital clock on their stove. Her curly reddish brown hair was tied messily into a bun above her head, the smudges of her black makeup were still present under her murky hazel colored eyes and her thin lips were pouting.

Bae entered the kitchen carrying a bag of Wendy's in one arm and in the other a bag from Lumos Café. He seemed to not realize the clear signs of his wife's sadness as he plopped the bags in front of her and began to empty their contents. Riley exasperated sighed loudly and folded her arms, Bae paused for a moment before slowly taking out two espressos and then moving the bags apart to better be able to see his wife's face.

"What?" he asked as he took a French fry and began to munch on it.

Riley blinked a few times, "you're late again," She pointed at the stove clock, "You've been late every day of the week this week, you're never late," she reached her hand and clasped her cold skinny fingers over his hand. Nervously Bae jerked his hand away. She gripped on tighter to his hand, "what was that for?"

"Your hand is very cold, Riles…," Bae said quickly walking towards where the thermostat resting on the other wall. It wasn't on, "Riles, this isn't on….you sat in the cold the whole night?"

At that moment Riley shivered and pulled her worn bathrobe tighter around her flat chest. Bae shimmed out of his cargo jacket and rested it on her shoulders, before placing a soft kiss to her cheek.

"Why don't you have something to eat?" he pulled out a chicken wrap from the contents of the bag, "it's your favorite."

A brief smile braced Riley's face before she began to eat the chicken. Bae's stomach had been churning too much for him to even begin to eat the hamburger that he'd gotten for himself. Thoughts, and images of the kiss kept popping up in his mind. Riley, Riley, Riley, Riley, Riley is your wife! He thought to himself, he kept repeating her name over and over again, and over. Riley…Riley…Riley. Hoping Emma would just leave his mind for just a few moments. There was something about her, that he couldn't explain when they kissed. A connection he'd never once felt with Riley, a rekindling of something very old. Very ancient, it left him aching for more.

"Aren't you hungry?" Riley asked drawing him from his thoughts.

"I think I'm just going to go to bed."

"Like you do every night when you come home late," Riley pointed out angrily.

"I'm tired," Bae replied standing.

"You're my husband…," Riley said quietly, "and I can't remember the last time we talked."

Bae paused for a moment turning to face her, "because every time you _never _just talk, you yell. You're angry at me because I don't have that great of a job, but I'm doing something I love, you yell at me because money is tight yet you won't help at all, all you do is yell, just like your mother."

Maybe the last comment was a bit harsh. He knew the deep sentient resentment Riley had for her mother for reasons unbeknownst to him. Riley let out a strangled cry before burying her face in her head onto the table.

"Riley…I'm sorry." Bae said quickly.

Riley tearfully looked up and whimpered out, "go away…go away."

**Present Day-Storybrooke **

"Bae and Henry are _where_?!" Charming roared his face turning beat red.

Rumple felt as if the whole world had been spinning, it was the second time in his life he'd watched his son disappear into a portal. This time he'd tried, he'd tried to follow them, but the portal closed as soon as it had reached them.

Charming began pacing around the room, moving his hands in frantic motions, "I have to go after them." He said firmly after a moment.

Rumble shook his head, "sorry dearie…but you can't leave."

"And whose gonna stop me?" Charming demanded, "you? I thought we had a deal, I don't bother you and you don't bother me."

Charming began to gather his sword and jacket from where it rested on the sheriff's desk. He slung his jacket over his shoulder and gripped his sword, he glanced backwards at Rumble before beginning to stride out of the office. Rumple sighed looking at the solemn and quiet four-year-old at his side.

"C'mon Dean…we must follow him."

Since the portal had swallowed Bae and Henry, Dean seemed to almost be Rumple's shadow following directly behind him as they traversed the town towards the police station; not once. Charming was sitting in the yellow buggy that belonged to Emma, with one flick of his wrist, the engine of the car stuttered out. Charming angrily got out of the car and slammed it loudly.

"Dammit Gold!" he yelled out frustrated, "we had a deal!"

"And we still do," Rumple replied, "but it is foolish for you to even attempt to leave not only is it physically impossible right now, but it will leave mass anarchy here,"

"My whole family is there, they need me."

"Don't you think I wish more than anything is to follow after my boy?" Rumple demanded, "well wishing isn't going to get the two of us anywhere…neither is you huffing and puffing and hastily making decisions….they'll be all right."

"Bae maybe," Charming replied, "but Henry? The Enchanted forest will swallow that kid alive."

"Bae won't let that happen."

Charming narrowed his eyes, "why?"

Rumple frowned slightly, "Bae is Henry's father." The look of pure shock and confusion that displayed on Charming's face was too appealing that even in this type of situation Rumple couldn't help but to chuckle, "came as a shock to me too….guess that makes Henry my grandson as well."

**Home of Bae and Riley Brenten, 11 Years Ago**

Their small bed seemed even smaller tonight. Riley was stiffly sleeping on her side facing away from him. Bae was attempting his best to keep a wall of division between the two of them. On the nights they fought he usually found himself sleepy on the lumpy pull out sofa in the living room, but tonight, his aching back was too much to allow himself to suffer on the sofa.

The sound of crashing glass stirred both of them. Riley sat up in bed pulling up the covers to her chin. Bae silently slipped out of bed tiptoeing along the room until he reached the closest where he pulled out the wooden bat.

"Call 9-1-1…," he mouthed to Riley as he slipped out of the room.

The tiptoeing whilst carrying a large blunt object reminded him of the days he'd spend terrorizing Hook. Quickly shaking those memories out of his mind he tiptoed down the long hallway. In the living room he could make out two dark silhouettes of two separate people. One was much larger than the other, gripping tightly onto the bat he went after the smaller figure.

"Emma behind you!" a husky voice yelled out.

But Bae's arms were in full motion as he swung the bat around. There was a loud bang as it made contact with Emma's head. The lights flickered on.

"Oh my god…Emma."

**Present Day-Neverland **

"Can I ask you something?" Henry muttered breaking the silence that they began when they entered the immense forest of Neverland. Bae nodded but he kept his eyes around the forest, checking for any sign of life. For any of the lost boys whom he was positive was waiting and lurking in the bushes trying to figure if the pair were friend or foe, "actually two things….firstly are you Peter Pan?"

Bae chuckled in spite of himself, "uh no. You can say that Peter and I share quite a number of similar…hobbies. What's your next question?"

Henry paused for a moment. Thinking over the words in his question, he opened his mouth before clamming it shut, fearful of how'd he react to his first idea he settled on, "how do you know Emma? And don't say you're both fairy tale characters."

"Uhhh….," Bae scratched at the back of his head.

The sound of rustling in nearby bushes made Bae halt his tracks, he placed an arm out blocking Henry from moving any further. _Listen to everything around_.

"Duck…," Bae said but he was a moment too late, the arrow narrowly missed Henry's head but it lodged itself into his arm. Bae let out a grunt of pain as he collapsed to the ground. Blood oozed out of his arm at an alarmingly fast rate. A rugged looking bunch composed of a girl and three boys emerged into the clearing. The girl held the bow and arrow.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

Bae wearily looked up, "it's me Bae…Margaret it's me."

"You sure as hell don't look like Bae."

**A/N: Margaret came from the Peter Pan Book…..I've completely forgotten who write it to give them credit. And I'm sorry for butchering the attempt at trying to explain it by using BE I was trying to do it with the BC. Anyways I hope you enjoy it. And Again I find both Rumple and Charming kind of _hard _to write so I hope this was all right. I think Belle will be in the next chapter. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Mr. Gold's House**

"Who's this?" Belle questioned upon seeing a little boy peaking his head out shyly from behind Rumple.

The boy was small in stature with brownish blonde hair, big rounded brown chocolate colored eyes and a slightly pudgy face it seemed he was yet to loose all of the baby fat.

"This is Dean," Rumple replied there's a slight shinning in his eyes as he states the next sentence, "Baelfire's son."

Belle at first was certain she had misheard him…He couldn't have said Baelfire in his long lost son could he?

"B-Baelfire?" she stammered out, "as in your son?"

The shimmer in his eyes faded away and the smile upon his face disappeared completely in the matter of seconds. He walked away from the landing of the stairs and into the living room, dropping the suitcase onto the sofa.

"Rumpelstiltskin!" Belle called as she rounded down the rest of the steps, latching her hand onto his arm, "is your son back?"

Rumple didn't answer. Dean moved silently towards them he appeared quite uncomfortable in this new setting. Belle tapped him gently on his shoulder. Children, a long time ago she dreamt of having children of her own, but that dream faded along time ago.

"Hello…," she said smiling in a way she hoped was friendly manner, "my name is Belle….,"

At first the child only blinks. It was as if he hadn't heard her, she sent a desperate look towards Rumple but his back was to them. He was rummaging through his son's suitcase, starring intently at a few of the photographs stashed away in a zippered part of the bag. The first one was of three men and two girls standing with their arms interlocked. All of them seemed to be laughing when the picture was snapped. His son was standing in the middle with a pair of ridiculously large eye glasses on, in his arms he was holding a rather large book. Upon further inspection Rumple could make out the title _Once Upon A Time_. To the right of Bae was the only other person, Rumple recognized, August Wayne Booth, with much longer hair. But the other three people were a mystery to him. He turned the picture around, written in a girl's cursive was: _Peter, Tink, Baelfire August and Catherine 1999, Finally Finished_.His boy seemed so happy. He lingered on the picture before placing it down. The next picture was of what appeared to be a wedding in Vegas. His son was dressed in an Elvis Costume, his eyes visibly bloodshot, the girl beside him was a redhead dressed in a show girl's outfit. The next picture took Rumple a bit by surprise, a badly angled shot of a much younger Emma Swan.

"Rumpelstiltskin he's hungry," Belle said.

Rumple looked at Dean, "do you like toast?" the boy nods, "you're not allergic to anything are you?"

**Neverland-**

Inside a cave hidden by overgrown bushes and trees, Bae, Henry and Margaret sat. Margaret was busily attending to Bae's wound, whilst Henry sat a few feet off, watching intently as the scene unfolded.

"You grew up," Margaret stated as she tied a make-shift tourniquet around Bae's arms, just before the gash in his arm were the arrow had pierced it, "you must tell me…was it worth it?"

The quivering in her voice wasn't something lost on Bae. He could remember the first time he'd stumbled upon Margaret and the lost boys. She was so sad, so heartbroken, a ravage purple smoke had come upon the land, taking Peter, who'd been fleeing with their son.

"Margie," Bae said softly shifting himself to face her, "I don't know….but I can give you some good news…..Peter is in the land without magic…," and to Henry he said, "he's one of the writers of the book."

Henry who was perched upon a rock looked up and there was such brightness in his eyes. Despite the situation Bae found himself smiling goofily, it was the first time he'd truly seen the kid…_his _son, smile.

"He's alive?" Margaret asked, "what of our son? Is he safe?"

Bae bite his lip and sadly looked up, "I'm sorry, Margie but I don't know….Peter wouldn't talk about your son."

Her face fell and she looked visibly broken hearted, "oh." She mumbled as she continued to finish the tourniquet, tying the knot tightly, before brushing off her ragged clothing and standing up. She turned quickly as her shoulders began to rack.

"Is she going to be okay?" Henry asked.

"It's the most heartbreaking and soul destroying news to a parent to hear of their child being not safe, not well…," Bae answered, "She's very strong Margie…she'll be all right," he swung his leg out from underneath the wooden table, grabbing his cargo jacket and slinging it over one shoulder, "come on Henry…we mustn't stay long if we're to find your mother and grandmother."

Henry paused for a moment, starring Bae over up and down. There had been something chewing at him, since they'd gone into the portal. Why would Bae follow him in? Bae, who barely knew him from a stranger who had a son back in Storybrooke who needed him, was it too good to think that there was possibility that Bae could be his father? Emma told him that his father was dead, but he wasn't quite sure he'd believed her the last time and especially not now.

"How long have you known my mom?" Henry inquired.

Bae looked away for moment scratching at his head, "uh a few years…I don't remember." It was the slight twitch in his eye that gave him away.

"You remember," Henry accused, "tell me the truth."

Bae licked his lips, tapping his foot and then running a hand throughout his hair, "about eleven years ago."

"So that makes you, my father right?" Henry questioned hesitance in his voice. Bae heaved in a deep breathe but didn't give it an answer. Henry pushed himself off the rock and began to take a few steps closer to Bae, "that's why you followed me into the portal….because your father left you alone when you went into the portal….,"

Bae sniffed. Henry was sharp and hitting every sore note with a very large hammer, "Henry…," Bae began quietly, "you're right. I couldn't…I physically _couldn't _watch you go into the portal alone…..you're my son….and I am so sorry."

Henry narrowed his eyes and frowned slightly, "are you apologizing for being _my _father?"

Bae quickly shook his head, because it seemed as though his ability to speak was lost at this moment. He was apologizing for missing _every _moment of the kid's life prior to now of allowing his mother rot in a prison cell whilst pregnant, for everything.

"Then what are _you _apologizing for?"

"Not being there for you….," Bae hoarsely muttered.

A pair of footsteps drew both of their attention, a red-faced Margaret was standing there, looking slightly uneasy about the situation she'd stumbled upon.

"Your ship is ready," she mumbled gesturing towards the exit of the cave, "I'm going with you," she said in a much firmer voice, "I _have _to find Peter."

Bae composed himself, wiping away the few tears that had dribbled down his face and stood up. Margaret led them out of the cave, Henry followed behind them. There was a small makeshift raft made up of twigs, tree limps and tied hastily together by yarn. It seemed very unsafe to Henry, he wearily gazed at it.

"Don't worry, it's enchanted, it will not fail us." Margaret reassured.

Henry raised an eyebrow, "enchanted with _what _exactly?"

"Fairy dust of course…you're new to this world aren't you?"

Henry felt as though he should have been able to guess that it was enchanted with Fairy dust. He'd read the book from front to back, multiple times, trying to absorb every single bit of detail that was written in its yellowing pages.

Bae climbed onto the raft first, before offering his hand to help Margaret. It rocked a bit as she came on. Henry stood at the edge of the water, starring at the raft. Bae stepped into the water, holding out his hand.

"I can do it _myself_!" Henry insisted.

"You're just as stubborn as your mother," Bae remarked underneath his breathe.

Henry leapt from the water and onto the raft, sending it gliding into the water. Bae held tighter onto the raft, pulling it closer to shore before climbing onto it. Henry sat cross-legged towards the front of the raft.

"Henry….," Bae began, "listen to me. Fairytale land is full of dark and scary things-

"I know." Henry cut him off, "I've read the book."

"Henry, I need you to listen to everything I tell you to do," Bae said, "if there's an Ogre or a Giant or god knows what else bearing down on us and I tell you to run and to leave me behind you've gotta leave me behind…..do you understand me?" The boy looked briefly at him, "Henry I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something bad happened to you…,"

**A/N: I'm so sorry for delay, I've been away and I wanted to get this in before Hurricane Sandy reared her head. Hopefully I won't lose power, but you never know. I thought Henry could figure it out he's real bright for a ten-year-old. Hope you enjoy it and please leave me a review it's much appreciated.**


	14. Chapter 14

The ride to the Mainland did not far too well for Henry. The choppy seas were something new to him, and he even admitted through bouts of vomit that he truly didn't have a strong stomach.

"Hang tight there, Sport…," Bae reassured, "we're almost there."

He rubbed Henry's back in circles, hoping that the little comfort would help. Henry slowly turned his head to face Bae, his skin was an unhealthy green color and he looked as if he hadn't slept in months.

**11 Years Ago, Hospital **

"What do you mean you're not _pressing _charges?!" Riley screeched.

The pair were standing in the waiting room of the hospital, and were drawing quite a bit of attention. Bae shuffled on his feet.

"Can we talk-

"No! No! No!" Riley yelled out, "she's a thief! She broke into our house! Yet here you are defending her!"

"She's a foster kid." Bae said.

Riley narrowed her eyes and folded her arms, "and that's suppose to make it okay? Huh?"

"No….of course not!" Bae interjected, "but you _don't _understand you were never a foster kid!"

Riley raised an eyebrow, "did you ever steal something huh?"

Bae looked down and away for a moment. There a time right after he'd come back from Neverland, where stealing became sort of a phase. He was living with this terrible god-awful couple in Louisiana. It was for survival, he reasoned back then. Though he constantly felt guilty about it.

"Bae did you _steal_?" Riley questioned.

Bae glanced around at the people who were now intently enthralled in their conversation. Riley huffed before stomping off in the direction of the cafeteria, her heels clicking loudly as she exited. The Dr. Styne walked out with his usual serious brooding face.

"How's Emma?"

"She has a concussion and there are thirty-six stitches in her head but otherwise she is a healthy girl."

"Can I go see her?"

Dr. Styne glanced at the clock, "Visiting hours are over Mr. Brenten."

"Just for a moment….please?" Bae begged, "I _have _to see if she's okay."

"For a moment." Dr. Styne said.

Bae raced forward down the long hallway into the last room on the right. Emma was propped up on a few pillows, with a bandage plastered to the right side of her forehead. She was starring at the infomercial as if it were interesting.

"I swear I didn't know it was your house." Emma said.

Bae walked to the bedside table taking the remote and flicking the TV. off. He stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"I'm not pressing any charges,"

**Mainland**

Some of the color was starting to come back to Henry's cheeks, a fact that Bae found himself finding a small silver of comfort in. It was Margie who decided staying put for one night would be best in all of their interests, at least until they had some sort of a plan to go on. They stood just outside of the enchanted forest. The sun was quickly fading away and soon it would be quite cold. Henry sat cross-legged on the ground and was ordered to sit there whilst he and Margie began to gather firewood. He was unwilling at first, but after some protests he stayed put, sort of.

"How did you meet my mother?" Henry asked suddenly making Bae drop the stack of miscellaneous sticks and wood.

"Uh….uhm, what did your mother tell you?" Bae questioned.

"That you were a firefighter and died." Henry answered earnestly.

"Oh…well no, never was a firefighter, was a thief, a Liberian, an accountant, waiter and a bank teller but never a firefighter."

Bae knelt to the ground and began piling the fire wood into a messy pile. He reached into his coat pocket pulling out a lighter. For once in his life he was thankful for the smoking habit. Rubbing two pieces of wood together wasn't always useful and it'd be dark very soon. The smoking came with great times of stress, it was a release. One he wished more than anything he didn't have.

"Don't ever smoke kid," he said turning to face Henry, "never."

Henry titled his head and raised an eyebrow, "all right…..," and then a shy smile spread across his face, "is Rumpelstiltskin really your dad?"

Bae snorted, "I guess he's not as good as having Prince Charming and Snow White for grandparents," he moved a few of the sticks closer to the fire. He heaved in a deep breath, "he wasn't always as bad as he is now."

Margie placed her sticks inside of the fire, before taking her seat beside Henry. There was certain weariness present in her eyes. Physically she didn't look much older than fifteen or sixteen years old, but truly she'd be in her late forties if she'd stayed in London. Sometimes it made Bae wonders truly how old he was with all of the time jumping he'd done.

"Were you married….to Dean's mother?" Henry asked quietly.

"I was," Bae answered, "Henry…your mother….," he stammered out trying to think of words to say but ended blurting out, "you're not a mistake." Before realizing it wasn't his best choice of words.

"Thanks," Henry said bluntly.

It was the sad little smile that appeared across his face that made him feel as if a dagger had pierced his heart. It was the same exact sad little smile he'd seen plastered onto Emma's face only eleven years ago when he told her that what they were doing wasn't right, just outside of the seedy motel in Tallahassee, Crazy Eight's, on their impromptu road trip. The trip was mostly prompted by him walking in on his wife in bed with a neighbor, it was a rash decision marked heavily by the drinking of that night.

The slight shiver was not lost on Bae. He shimmed out of his cargo jacket placing it over Henry's small bony shoulders. The boy looked up wide eyed at him.

"Are you-

"Keep it on." Bae insisted.

Margie coughed and cleared her throat, "I'm sorry to interrupt the sweet little moment the two of you were having but we should really talk about taking shifts in sleeping-

"I'll take the first and I'll wake you in thirty," Bae interrupted, "you look like you need the sleep."

Margie paused for a moment before hesitantly laying down on the cold hard ground. She rolled onto her side, her back facing Bae.

"Go to sleep, Henry," Bae said softly, "I'll wake you when the sun rises."

**Storybrooke, Maine- Sheriff's Station**

"We are not doing this," Charming retorted sharply, "we _are _not partners, we _are _not friends and most certainly _you _are not helping."

Charming pushed past Rumple. The stubbornness was something Rumple knew was too be expected. Rumple sighed.

"You know _he's _my grandson too,"

Charming stopped in the hallway, his shoulders tensing visibly. Yesterday, when Rumple identified Bae as Henry's father, the scene had been playing over and over again in his head. This was the man who'd gotten Emma pregnant at eighteen. His _little _girl, it made the blood boil under his skin.

"He's only your grandson because your son knocked up my daughter." It wasn't something Charming ever thought he'd say, especially in conversation with Rumple. By the look upon Rumple's face, it wasn't something he was expecting either.

"Can we not talk about _that_?" Rumple questioned, "I truly think it's neither yours nor my business."

Charming stomped forward inclosing the gap between them, their faces were mere inches apart, "Emma _is _my business. She's my daughter."

"And Bae's my son," Rumple pointed out, "it seems dearie that we have even footing here."

**A/N: Hi all! I am so so so sorry for not updating in a very long time. I was only recently restored with power , Hurricane Sandy was not nice to New York at all or New Jersey. I hope everything and everyone is all right. I was blessed in that I still have a home. I hope you are still enjoying this story. Please leave a review.**


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